Storybook Favorites

I like the idea of choosing another perspective within a story for the retelling.  I think it helps the reader engage with the characters and explore motivations that may have been overlooked in the first telling.  Several of the Storybooks that caught my attention used this device including “Happily Ever After? A Prince's Perspective.”

In this storybook, Kate Brandon uses very familiar tales to create unique stories with a real world spin.  By incorporating real world issues, the author brings the Princes out of the backdrop and makes them relatable for readers.  Her introduction and cover image quickly snagged my attention.

(From Happily Ever After? A Prince's Perspective)

Another Storybook that used this approach very effectively was “Stepmothers’ Prison: Prison Stories of the Wicked Stepmothers.”  I thought that this concept was particularly creative and I like a lot of details about the Storybook’s layout.  The first thing I noticed was the “next page” navigation at the bottom of each page and how each story seamlessly flowed into the next.  I also like how the inspiration for each story was a mystery until you read each account.  The color and image choices complement the prison setting well and help to build the atmosphere.  I can’t help but wonder about the last inmate’s story. It feels a bit unfinished to me. 

The next two Storybooks that I selected take a completely different tack by combining two unrelated themes.  In "1000 Ways to Die: Demon Edition,” the author combines the format of a popular television show with stories of ancient Indian demons.  I thought this blog post was really fun and the color choices and images were consistent with the Storybook’s theme.  The introduction was thorough and well-written.

My last and favorite Storybook was “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Missing River.” In this Storybook, the author presents unfamiliar (at least to me) stories via familiar characters which makes the stories more approachable.  I can also tell that the author put a lot of work into creating the “look” of the blog.  The variation in layout and content make the blog more interesting and the navigation is very user friendly.  I also appreciate the supplemental information in the author’s notes with links to the original stories.  This Storybook reads like a novella and I’m very impressed with all the hard work and creativity that went into it. 

(From The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Missing River)